How Can I Remove Grease Stains From Laundry?

Treat laundry grease stains at first sight for the best results.

Grease stains on laundry can be intimidating to remove. Due to the oily nature of grease stains, they are often more challenging than many other kinds of stains. Don't throw out an otherwise good piece of laundry just because of a grease stain. Removing grease stains caused by butter, cooking oil, automotive oil or any other type of grease can be done successfully using a variety of common household products. It is important to treat grease stains as soon as possible for the best chances of success. Once the grease has set into the fabric, removal will be more challenging.

Things You'll Need

• Grease-cutting dish soap
• Laundry pretreatment spray
• Hairspray or household lubricating spray
• Clean rags
• Lighter fluid
• Household ammonia
• Aloe vera gel

Instructions

Dishwashing Liquid

1. Squeeze a generous amount of grease-cutting dish soap directly onto the stain. Make sure the entire stain is covered with the soap.

2. Use your fingers to rub the soap into the fabric. Allow the dish soap to set on the stain for five minutes.

3. Soak the garment in warm water for 30 minutes. Fill up your washer or fill the sink to soak the fabric.

4. Apply a laundry pretreatment such as Shout or Spray-n-Wash to the stain. Wait about five to 10 minutes after applying the laundry pretreatment to the garment before washing it as usual.

Hairspray or Lubricating Spray

1. Saturate the grease-stained laundry with hairspray or a household lubricating spray. Allow the spray to remain on the fabric for at least 30 minutes.

2. Rinse the fabric in cool water. Place a few drops of grease-cutting dish soap onto the stain and work the soap into the fabric with your fingers.

3. Wait about five minutes. Wash the garment as usual.

Lighter Fluid

1. Saturate a portion of a clean rag with lighter fluid. Dab the lighter fluid directly onto the grease stain using the rag.

2. Allow the lighter fluid to remain on the laundry for about 10 minutes.

3. Rinse the garment under cool water. Use your fingers to rub the fabric while rinsing to ensure that all of the lighter fluid has been removed from the laundry.

4. Launder the fabric as usual.

Ammonia

1. Saturate a portion of a clean rag with household ammonia. Use the rag to apply the ammonia to the grease stain.

2. Allow the ammonia to remain on the laundry for 10 minutes.

3. Wash the laundry as usual. Add ½ cup ammonia to the wash cycle for added power in fighting grease stains.

Aloe Vera Gel

1. Squeeze a liberal amount of Aloe Vera gel directly onto the grease stain. Add 3-5 drops of water to the gel once it is on the grease stain.

2. Use your fingers to work the gel and water into the fabric. Let it stand for about 15 minutes.

3. Rinse the Aloe Vera gel from the fabric with cool water. Launder the garment as usual.

Tips & Warnings

• If the grease stain has puddled onto your laundry, use a butter knife or spoon to gently scoop it off of the fabric. Do this carefully so not to spread the grease.

• Always inspect the laundry after washing and before placing in the dryer. If there are any traces of the grease stain after washing, treat the stain again. Do not place the garment in the dryer if there is any sign of grease; the heat from the dryer will only set in the stain.

• Treat any fresh grease stains with an absorbent powder prior to using any of the stain-removal methods. Sprinkle talcum powder or cornstarch onto the grease stain. Rub it lightly into the fabric with your fingers. Allow it to remain on the laundry overnight. Brush the powder off the next day before treating the grease stain. The powder will help to absorb some of the grease.

• Always test the product you are using on a small, inconspicuous area of the fabric prior to applying it to a more noticeable area.

• If switching from one stain-removal method to another, make sure to thoroughly rinse the laundry prior to treating with different stain-removal products.

• Lighter fluid is highly flammable. Do not use it around an open flame. Rinse the laundry thoroughly to remove all traces of lighter fluid prior to laundering the fabric.

• Never mix bleach and ammonia or products containing these ingredients. The results could be toxic.

References

• Mrs. Clean USA: Tips On Removing Grease Stains
• Home Life Weekly: How To Remove Grease Stain From Clothes
• Stain Removal: How To Remove Grease Stains From Cloths